Thanks, readers, for your trust in us

By DAVID BURKE ONCE in a while we all need a little positive reinforcement. For the child at the doctor's it might be a lollipop; for the home-maker a bunch of flowers, or maybe a big match ticket; for us newspaper people, it's the news that our readers trust us, and rely on us for their local news. So when a recent survey showed that 86 per cent of people agreed that 'the community relies on the weekly local newspaper for news about the local area' we were delighted. Just as we were when told that more than four out of five agree that 'the weekly newspaper is the best source for finding advertising on products and services available in the area'. And almost three quarters of the people surveyed by Ipsos MRBI, the well-known research bureau, said it was a tradition in their house to have a copy of the local newspaper available to read. Now you know that old jibe about today's newspaper being used to light tomorrow's fire â€â€ well, it doesn't apply to us. The average number of days the local newspaper is held on to in the home is 5.9, and almost one third of you keep your Tuam Herald for seven days. Not that we are surprised by that: when we run one of our popular competitions, we expect a large number of entries to arrive the day the following week's paper is published. If you are the kind of person who eats statistics for breakfast, there are lots more in our special free supplement this week. It's published to mark Local Newspaper Week, which runs from October 24 to 31, and is appearing with more than 30 paid-for titles right across Ireland. The week celebrates local newspapers and the important role they play in the community. You can read how a cross-section of our readers and customers feels about us, and lots more. Local Newspaper Week is co-ordinated by the Regional Newspapers and Printers Association of Ireland, of which we are proud members for many years, and if you would like to read more about it you can check our website www.local newspaper week.ie. 'What's that about trust, way back in the first paragraph?' you ask. Yes, the survey shows that you trust us to deliver the news in your area â€â€ over twice as much as you do a free newspaper. That's because we've been here a long time, imagine, 175 years next year, and trust can only be earned, not bought. Enjoy the supplement, keep on enjoying the paper, please let us know what you think. And, thank you for your trust. We will never take it for granted.